The first time I made this soup, my husband and I were working through lunch in our separate home offices. I received a text that said, “Awesome soup!” and I had to agree. A simple soup that’s full of flavor, we’ve enjoyed it for lunch and dinner multiple times already, and my husband has even used it in place of sauce over his pasta. A big thumbs up from both of us!

I have been a fan of Brandi Doming’s for quite awhile now. She’s the genius behind the blog, The Vegan 8, and I love her concept: All of her recipes require only 8 ingredients or less (not counting salt, pepper, or water). That makes her recipes totally approachable, which is huge - especially for those of us who have little time to cook. On top of that, her recipes are all vegan and oil-free! Most of them are gluten-free, too. Totally up my alley, so I was really excited to learn she had a cookbook coming out soon, and really, really excited to have the opportunity to share a recipe from the book with you! This soup is hearty, cozy, and delicious - a perfect soup for fall and winter.

HUNGARIAN RED LENTIL SOUP RECIPE

FROM THE VEGAN 8 COOKBOOK, BY BRANDI DOMING

Dinner doesn’t have to take forever. This recipe comes together fast, thanks to red lentils and easy ingredients. The Hungarian paprika, dry mustard, and tomato paste give this simple dish a wonderful depth of flavor. This soup goes great with some fresh crusty bread!

Note: Make sure the paprika you are using is not hot paprika. For the milk, it is important to use a creamy milk like cashew or “lite” coconut milk here for best results. The “lite” coconut milk is very creamy but yields no coconut taste. Almond and rice milks don’t do well, and definitely don’t use full-fat coconut, as it is too rich and thick and will ruin the flavor.

INGREDIENTS

1 packed cup (160g) diced yellow onion

3 medium carrots (154g), cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick slices

3 large garlic cloves, minced (15g)

1 cup (209g) dry red lentils, rinsed well with cold water

6 tablespoons (90g) tomato paste

2 tablespoons (15g) Hungarian sweet paprika

1 teaspoon (2g) dry mustard

1 1⁄2 teaspoons (9g) fine salt

1⁄4 teaspoon (1g) ground black pepper

1 cup (240g) canned “lite” coconut milk, well shaken

METHOD

Add the onion, carrots, garlic, and 1 cup (240g) water to a medium pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring a couple of times during, or until the veggies are tender but not overly so. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the lentils, 2 1⁄2 cups (600g) water, tomato paste, paprika, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir well, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the milk, and increase the heat to medium-low; cook 5 to 10 minutes or until the lentils are tender yet still firm, and the soup thickens some. Stir often, and do not overcook, as you don’t want the lentils to become mushy. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Serve immediately.